How to Find Your Kava Dosage

What is kava? The people of the South Pacific Islands have been consuming kava for cultural and medicinal purposes for thousands of years but has gained a world-wide market as of late. Kava is now known as the plant with super-powers against our modern-world ailments like anxiety, stress, and difficulty sleeping.

The public is becoming more aware of the potential toxicity, numerous side effects, and low success rates of many commonly prescribed drugs, creating a need for safe and effective alternatives like natural supplements for anxiety. This is why Kava's gained a cult like following.

The amount of kava you should consume will depend on the type of kava you are taking. Packages of safely harvested and processed kava products will always include supplement facts as well as recommended use or suggested servings. We suggest new kava users follow the directions on each individual package of kava that you purchase.

Kava also comes in many different forms, including powders, extracts, capsules and supplements.

How Much Kava Should I Take?

We recommend starting off with 1-3mL of 1Hour Break® kava extract, sprayed directly under the tongue twice per day. If you're feeling extra anxious, we suggest increasing your dose to 4-5mL, sprayed directly under your tongue twice per day, and repeat as needed.

1mL of 1Hour Break® kava extract contains approximately 259 mg of kava root extract, which contains about 23.4 mg of kavalactones. A standard dose is in the range of 60-600 mg of kavalactones per day. 1Hour Break® kava extract also contains lemon balm, passion flower, and lobelia, which strengthen the effects of kava.

Factors such as body weight, hydration levels, and if you have eaten or not, can alter kava’s effect on your body, so you may find yourself needing a smaller or larger kava dosage for satisfying effects.

In these cases, we recommend you consult with your qualified healthcare provider to address any questions or concerns you may have regarding consumption of kava or kava dosage. A little experimentation may be in order to find your ideal kava dosage.

Can I Overdose on Kava?

This similar effect makes many people wonder: can I overdose on kava? The simple answer is, no. There are no known reports of kava overdose, even among long-term users of kava.

In moderate doses, kava has a relaxing effect on the brain and central nervous system. The kava kava high feels similar to valium, without the side effects of loss of coordination, impairment of judgement, drowsiness, or hangovers.

Should I Increase My Kava Dosage if I Don’t Feel Any Effect?

New kava users sometimes experience reverse tolerance, meaning they don’t feel any effects the first few times they use kava. Some people may think this means kava does not work for them and will stop using kava entirely, while others may think their kava dosage is too low and increase their kava intake.

Reverse tolerance usually goes away after a few kava sessions, so our advice is to keep using kava as intended and in the dose recommended. If you still do not feel an effect, talk with your physician about your options.

About the Author

Allison Lardizabal, RN

As an ER nurse, I helped people through some of their most difficult and vulnerable times in their lives, providing me invaluable insight on what really matters most. This led me on another path where I stepped away from my clinical practice to pursue other dreams; to live life on my own terms; and be more intentional with my time.